Voting machine



R. F. SHOUP VOTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1947 INVENTOR. BAA 50M f 5HO0P A 7 ram/5Y5 Aug. 29, 1950 R. F. SHOUP 2,520,740

VOTING MACHINE Filed March 8. 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR- HM/SOM f Sfloup BYjIZI/W Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,520,740 2 vo'rmc MACHINE Ransom F. Shoup, Ardmore, Pa., assignor to The Shoup. Voting Machine Corporation, Philadel- .phia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application March 8, 1947, Serial No; 733,379-

2 clams. (=01. 235-54.)

This invention relates to voting machines and more especially to Voting machines of the type illustrated in Shoup et al. Patent No. 2,054,102.

An object of this invention is a variable length voting machine interlock strap by adjustment of which the voting machine may be set up to meet various ballot requirements.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is-a perspective view of an interlock strap embodying the invention;

.Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. .3 is afragmentary horizontal section of the voting machine in which the interlock strap isused, and

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary sections substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In so far as possible, the reference characters used in the following specification will correspondto the reference characters used in the specifications of Shoup et al. Patent No. 2,054,102 and Shoup Patent 2,191,086, hereinafter rerr 9 ,Ir i the voting machine of Shoup et al. Patent 2,054,102 there are ten vertical columns of spindles and a main interlock together withinterlock straps for connecting to the main interlock the spindles of columns 1 to 9 counting away from the interlock. The present invention is concerned primarily with the interlock straps for the spindles of columns 8 and 9, and, therefore,

the drawings only columns '7, 8 and 9 are illusrate -W,

The spindles 38 are journalled at one end in a partition 30a and at the other end are jo-urnalled f n vertical straps 40. Eachspindle is equipped with an pperating handle 30 and is of square cross seetion except that it is provided with a circular groove 38a to be received in a circular bearing provided therefor in the, strap. Each spindle 38 extends through and supports a chaniiel member '60, the ends of which engage the partition 30a and a strap in and the channel member is received within square apertures in two arms 59 and 59'. The arms 59 and 59 on successive vertical spindles areoifset so as not to interfere with each other. A rod 591) extends between and has its ends attached to the arms 59 'andEQ'. A plate 59a is attached to each arm 59' through the intermediary of the rod which passes through a slotin the plate. The plate is thus "'slidably and rotatably connected to the arm and is, therefore, capable of being adjusted to different positionsrelative to the plate as fully described in said Patent 2,191,086. Shoulders 60a are provided on the channel member 60 for locating the arms 59 and 59' on such member and the arms are held against the .2 shoulders 60a by the rod 5%. By reason of the rectangular cross-section of the channel member 60 and its snug'fit on the square portion of thespindle 38, it is firmly secured to the spindle for rotation therewith. Likewise, rotation of the spindle 38 causes rotation of the arms 59 and 59. The arms 59 cooperate with a locking and restoring frame as described in said Patent 2,054,102 and the arms 59' and plates 59a cooperate with vertically movable members il!!! in the-manner described in said Shoup Patent No. 2,191,086.

A counter C is associated with each spindle 38 and is provided with a drive pinion 43 having a square aperture through which extends the square portion of aspindle 38. The counter C preferably is of the construction disclosed and claimed in Shoup Patent No. 2,140,336.

Each rod 5% has connected thereto one end of an interlock strap 6 l leading to a main interlock 42 of the construction described and claimed in Shoup Patent No. 2,191,036. In this interlock are provided a plurality of interlock members 62, certain of which are tubular for the purpose of receiving pins 63 extending through apertures in the interlock casing for the purpose of fixing said members against movement relative to the easing. Each interlock strap Bl passes between a pair of interlock members 62 and is provided with a wedge 64 for spreading the two members apart.

Certain of the straps til are of variable length as shown in Fig. 1. Each variable length strap consists of a strip Bla and a strip all) of which Bla is connected at one end with a wedge 64. The strip 6 la, except for a short section near its free end, is of greater width than the section Blb and is provided with two pairs of tongues 6lc which are turned over the strip @lb to slidably interconnect the two strips. Between the tongues 6 lo, the strip 6 lb is slightly oilfset at 6 Id and is'p rovided with a stud file adapted to project. into one of three holes 6i formed in the strip 6 lb. By insertion of a properly shaped tool between the offset portion Bld and the strip Gib, the studs tile may be withdrawn from a hole Elf and the strip filb adjusted to bring another hole Elf into register with the stud lite.

In Fig. 4, the variable length strap tl is shown in its maximum length condition. In such condition, and with the spindle S8 in unvoted position, the wedge 64 lies to the right of the interlock members 52. Upon clockwise rotation'of the spindle 38 from its unvoted position to its voted position, the interlock strap 6! is moved to the left, thereby pulling the wedge 64' between two interlock members to exhaust the space between two successive fixed interlock members, thereby preventing actuation of any more spindles 38 in the same horizontal row.

In Fig. 5, the variable length strap BI is shown in its intermediate length condition. In this condition, with the spindle 38 in unvoted position, the wedge 64 is located between adjacent interlock members 62. When the strap is in this condition, the spindle 38 is locked against operation by the plate 59a as described in said Shoup Patent No. 2,191,086, and the Wedge 64 serves the purpose of the compensators shown in Shoup et al. Patent No. 2,054,102.

In Fig. 6, the variable length strap BI is shown in its minimum length condition. With the strap in this condition, the wedge 65 is located to the left of the main interlock members 62 and the corresponding spindle 38 is out of the control of said main interlock. The spindle 38 may now be attached to a supplemental interlock as may be required for proper operation of the machine to take care of a particular form of ballot requirement. A second wedge 64 and part of its associated interlock strap 61 is also shown in each of Figures 4, 5 and 6 to illustrate the paired arrangement of the interlock straps in the interlock.

So far, use for the variable length type of interlock strap has been found only in connection with the spindles of the 8th and 9th columns. However, it may later prove desirable to use the variable length type of interlock strap in connection with the spindles of one or more of the remaining columns and it is contemplated that the variable length interlock straps may be used with the spindles of whatever column it is found desirable. The offset Bld of each variable length interlock strap 6| attached to a spindle of the 9th or 8th column is so arranged that the stud Ble may be withdrawn from an aperture 6|) by the insertion between the two strips 61a and 6 lb of a properly shaped tool introduced between the straps 40 just to the right of the spindles of the 8th or 7th columns, after which the section Blb may be moved on the section Bla to accomplish the desired adjustment. Variation in length of the interlock straps may thus be effected without requiring the removal or re-arrangement of any of the parts of the machine.

This arrangement permits variation of the length of the straps without disconnecting the straps from the spindles and also without removal of the straps from the machine. The variable length interlock straps 6| are adjusted to their maximum length when it is desired to set up the machine in such a way that only one of a horizontal row of spindles can be operated, this being the normal arrangement for general voting. When it is desired to set up an arrangement of two or more successive spindles in each of two i or more columns of such nature that only one spindle of the group can be actuated, the pins 58 are removed from the tubular locking members 62 corresponding to the rows of spindles except the top tubular locking member for the upper row of spindles and the tubular bottom locking member of the lower row of spindles and the proper number of ninth column variable length interlock straps 5| are adjusted to their intermediate length to introduce their heads 54 between the locking member 62 to act as compensators, it being understood that when a head 64. is used as a compensator the corresponding spindle is locked in unvoted position. The ninth and eighth column spindles may be completely released from the main interlock by adjusting the variable length interlock straps 6| to their, minimum length. This arrangement avoids the necessity of disconnecting the interlock straps from the spindles and the removal thereof from the machine as has been heretofore necessary when it was desired to take the ninth and eighth column spindles out of the control of the main interlock.

It is of course understood that various modifications may be made in the structure above described, without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a voting machine, a plurality of rows of spindles, an interlock consisting of fixed members and interposed movable members, a strap for each spindle attached at one end thereto and having its remaining end extending between two interlock members and provided with a wedge for cooperation with said members, said strap consisting of two slidably connected portions, one or" said portions having a series of apertures, a pin carried by the remaining portion and lying between the said two portions for selective insertion into any of said apertures, an ofiset part on the pin carrying of said two portions to facilitate separation of the said two portions and withdrawal of said pin from an inserted position in any of said apertures, and guiding pairs of tongues on the pin carrying of said portions turned over the'apertured of said portions to interconnect the said two portions slidably, whereby upon withdrawal of said pin from an inserted position in any of said apertures, said two portions may be slid relative to each other and the effective length of said strap varied without demounting said strap from the spindle to which it is attached.

2. An adjustable interlock strap for voting machines comprising two slidably connected por tions, one of said portions having a series of apertures, a pin carried by the remaining portion and lying between the said two portions for selective insertion into any of said apertures, offset means on the pin carrying portion to facilitate REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 535,502 Knighton Mar. 12, 1895 540,517 Russell June 4, 1895 832,014 Fosdick Sept. 25, 1906 2,054,102 Shoup et a1 Sept; 15,1936 2,061,355 Nadler Nov. l'7, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Switzerland Jan. 2, 1933 

